The present invention relates generally to skateboards, and more particularly to skateboards of wide dimension having a centrally located, weight supporting vertical upright with handles.
Scooters are known in the prior art to include generally a vehicle with a low, narrow foot board or platform having one or a pair of matching wheels attached near each end of the platform underneath, featuring handles attached to a vertical post positioned onto the front end of the platform. The rider, while holding onto the handles and placing one foot upon the platform propels himself and the scooter forward by a series of pushes made by the other foot against the ground. Coasting is accomplished by placing both feet upon the board, one foot forward the other while the scooter is in motion. Steering is accomplished by tilting the vertical upright toward the side the rider wishes to turn.
Skateboards are also known in the prior art to include generally a platform having two sets of spaced wheel pairs, each wheel pair centrally mounted on a wheel assembly with a resilient coupling underneath an end of the platform. The wheel assemblies are mounted underneath, near the ends of the platform.
Each wheel pair in a skateboard is generally joined by an axle having a forwardly and upwardly inclined pivot member fitted into a mating cup on the attachment means to the platform. This arrangement permits the axle to turn according to the tilt in the platform.
The wheels of each pair are parallelly mounted and separated from each other characteristically by three to five inches. The wheels have generally rounded sides and are made of low rolling friction material and ride on low friction bearings. The low friction wheels and bearings permit the skateboard to go very fast and long distances. The rider often propels himself and the skateboard forward by a series of pushes made by one foot against the ground while balancing himself with the other foot on the skateboard. Coasting is accomplished by placing one foot forward of the other on the skateboard in a surfboard fashion while the vehicle is in motion. Steering is accomplished by the rider tilting the platform or biasing his weight onto the right side of the board to steer towards the right and onto the left side of the board to steer towards the left.
These abilities of the skateboard have attracted the interest of children and adults thereby making the skateboard a popular toy, athletic device and is frequently used in competitive events.